This issue of Generational Viewpoints features two individuals from Kennedy and Coe llC (www.kcoe.com), a Salina, Kan.-based top 100 firm with over 200 professionals. Generation X member Jeff Wald, born in 1972, and Baby Boomer chief executive Kurt Siemers, born in 1948, shared their responses to the following question:

"Do you agree with the statement that firms that are 'old school' are 'uncool'? Why or why not? If you think 'new school' is important, what are some examples of progressive ideas or policies that you think today's CPA firms should consider?"

WALD'S GEN X VIEWPOINT

What many CPA firms view as revolutionary or "new school" are just expectations of the top talent we are all trying to attract. These expectations include work-life balance, cutting-edge technology, a flexible work schedule, high-impact assignments, and teamwork. To be truly "cool," we are going to have to create an environment that allows our people to have a real impact on the clients they serve and the people around them, and allows them the freedom to pursue their personal passions. We have to stop viewing these freedoms as a necessary evil and realize that developing a culture of innovation will enable our highly motivated and satisfied people to serve clients and grow our firms.

We need to move away from the "partner hero" model to a collaborative model that rewards those who work together to create the best results for our clients and our firms.

CPA firms should also re-evaluate their relationships with clients and allow individuals to focus on creating the highest impact on the client's well-being, and spend less time focusing on creating a more efficient delivery mechanism of core services. Most of us were attracted to the profession because of the opportunity to impact the future of our clients, and I believe that the higher impact we have on our client's success, the more valuable we are to them. Our valuecreation process enables high-level interactions with our clients, and the expectation that we are there to help them achieve their goals. It also allows for a pricing mechanism where our people know that they are not limited by adding more time to create more revenue, but are instead encouraged to use their knowledge to impact the client and get paid commensurately. We are, after all, selling the knowledge of our professionals, not the amount of time they spend.

CPA firms must look at new ways to provide fulfilling opportunities if we want to attract the best talent, and we also need to change the way individuals are trained and evaluated to keep that talent. We need to create systems that promote creativity and impact the well-being of our clients from the moment they walk in the door, and not judge a team member's success based on getting work done fast and the willingness to spend more time at the office.

SIEMERS' BABY BOOMER VIEWPOINT

• 1
• |
• 2
• |
• next